I considered pulling my team off the pitch – Al Ahly coach Jess Thorup

Al Ahly coach Jess Thorup admitted that the away draw against Morocco’s AS FAR in the CAF Champions League group stage was one of the toughest nights since he took charge of the Egyptian giants.

He stressed that he had anticipated a difficult atmosphere in Rabat and was frustrated to see his side fall behind from what he felt was an incorrect penalty decision, especially with no VAR available at this stage of the competition.

Thorup explained that the referee’s call and the encroachment inside the box before the kick could have cost the club dearly in such a major tournament, but he praised his players for raising their level after the break, equalising and nearly snatching all three points. He felt the second-half performance reflected Al Ahly’s character and mentality in high-pressure away fixtures.

The Danish coach then turned his anger toward crowd trouble, revealing how serious the situation felt from the touchline. “I did not know in that moment whether to pull my team off or leave them on the pitch, given what they were facing from the stands,” he said, calling the stadium atmosphere fantastic for football but urging fans not to ruin it by throwing bottles and attacking players.

Thorup underlined that Al Ahly could live with a draw, describing the point as positive even if the ambition had been victory. He went out of his way to praise Morocco, highlighting the hospitality, accommodation, pitch quality and passionate support, insisting that the only negative of the trip was the bottle-throwing incident.

Focusing again on football, the coach complimented AS FAR for playing at a high level, creating many chances and using their crowd to tilt the contest. He described the group as one of the toughest Al Ahly have faced in years and predicted that “any team that comes here will suffer against AS FAR,” while also noting his happiness at experiencing Morocco for the first time.